Recent state appropriations for higher education in Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont are tabulated. Governors in all those states signed spending bills for higher education. (MLW)

Describes results of the Enterprise Zone Act, which encourages businesses and industries to locate or remain in depressed areas "by means of relaxed government controls and tax incentives in these areas." Also discusses uses of 8 percent set-aside funds from the Job Training Partnership Act. (CT)

Reviews U.S. Supreme Court action concerning governmental aid to sectarian schools, highlighting the First Amendment establishment clause, the child benefit doctrine, the Tripartite Test (1970-1984), and the recent Ball and Felton cases. The court is continuously pressured to reassess its precedents requiring strict neutrality toward religion.…

Explains how the Texas legislature, ignoring a special committee recommendation to eliminate vocational education, retained categorical funding, but changed funding formulas and made other reforms that will result in fewer vocational programs overall. (SK)

This paper reports the results of a state equity analysis in North Carolina based on conditions in 1975-76 and 1982-83. Since the state funding mechanism in North Carolina does not adjust for variation in local fiscal capacity, the focus of the analysis is on fiscal equity in local funding provisions. (TE)

Blasts the supreme court of Washington State for its inappropriate treatment of Larry Witters, a legally blind student denied state vocational rehabilitation funds because his intended Bible studies program supposedly violated the First Amendment's establishment clause. Even a United States Supreme Court reversal failed to end Witter's…

Considers the community services divisions of Michigan's community colleges vital elements in economic recovery. Highlights Schoolcraft College's efforts to attract new businesses and assist existing companies through training and retraining programs. Discusses state support for economic development projects and the participation of community…

Five changes in state politics are especially relevant to state universities' lobbying strategies: scarcer resources, greater government responsibility, citizens less supportive of government, more frequent use of referenda for policy decisions, and more complex interest group and campaign technology. State institutions must adjust their…

Tables show most of the money that states will spend on student aid in 1984-85. Estimates are for dollars paid out, number of awards, and average award amount both for need-based assistance and non-need-based assistance for undergraduate, graduate, and professional categories. (MLW)

Analysis of figures nationwide indicates that local school districts have reduced their reliance on property taxes while states have increased support for schools. However, states face serious fiscal problems, and the property tax system should be reviewed in light of the need for more local support for schools. (MJL)

Colleges and universities in New Jersey play a critical role in building and sustaining economic prosperity and quality of life in the state and beyond. Through advancements in technology and research, higher education helps to create new jobs, improve the workforce, develop new knowledge, and boost the overall economy. This report summarizes…

This methodology guide is designed to help study teams answer basic questions about how to conduct a regional economic analysis of the child care sector. Specific examples are drawn from a local study, Tompkins County, NY, and two state studies, Kansas and New York, which the Cornell team conducted. Other state and local studies are also…

This issue of "Policy Briefs" briefly examines the major sources of student financial aid and the relationships among grants, persistence, and degree attainment. Aid comes from federal and state governments and from institutions in the forms of grants, loans, and work-study. The positive effects of financial aid on persistence have been reported…

This report summarizes data for the Title I, Part A, Grants to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) program. It provides participation data for 2000-2001 as well as comparisons to 1999-2000 and previous reporting years. Topics include: districts, schools, and students served, the range of instructional and support services provided, Title I staffing…

Court decisions historically have dealt with educational equity; now they are helping to establish "adequacy" as a standard in education. Legislatures, however, have been slow to enact remedies. One debate over education adequacy, though, is settled: Schools are not financed at an adequate level. This fastback is divided into three…